With the NRA warning that large numbers of roads are not safe for users, Fine Gael Mayo Deputy Michael Ring has said every road in the country should be audited for safety.
“The warning from NRA chief Fred Barry that many Irish roads are not safe is very disturbing,” Deputy Ring said. “But it doesn’t come as any surprise. But it’s disturbing that the head of the NRA, which has responsibility for so many roads, has not been able to solve the problem. If it knows where the blackspots are, why are they still there?
“Fine Gael has long called for a safety audit of all non-national roads,” He added. “Every local authority should be required to conduct annual audits of its road network, with assistance from the NRA. At the same time, the NRA should conduct audits of all national roads built more than 10 years ago.
“Fred Barry’s comments are welcome, and he is right to point out that a variety of organisations are involved. The NRA must take some of the blame for not taking action sooner. But the succession of Fianna Fáil transport ministers over the last 13 years must take the lion’s share.”
